Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-12-23

Now, | want you to help u.s." |
added.
Command me- What shall dop"
well, we wisn 10 be married at once.
viii you arrange the detaiIs?'
Certainly
Turning from the door, where had
gone to see il our carriage was ready,.(
saw Weldon close memorandum
book He had the necessary data and
said he was going to get the license.
You ii find US at the res dence of our
mutual friend Rector" said.
"All right" and he was gone.
Rev. Mr.. Rector had been our class
mate. and we had all agreed to give
him a job whenever we had anything
to do in his line.
Thither we drove rapidly Looking
ahstractedly out of the window, my af-
fanced seemed wrapped in thought
How lovely she looked How longcd
to take her in my arms and kiss her, or
even squeeze one of the dainty little
shapely hands that lay idly on her lap.
But | herolcally kept my promise.
Are you sorry, dear, ventured?"
NO she said promptly. And by
degrees she told me that the very bold
ness OF my approach and the consider
ate contriton | affected had aroused all
the romance in her rea'l " poetic nature:
and when her woman's intuition had
satisfied her that | could be trusted she
had unreservediv given me her whole
heart What rapture! Words can not
tell how much loved her Both of US
were also impelled by another impulse
than love, as afterward determined.
impatient at the delay | stepped out
of Mr.. Rectors gate and down 10 the
corner to see if Weldon was coming.
AS ! reached the corner, ran face to
face with my father. What should
do?
why, Clyde, where have YOU been?'
he asked
Attending an agricultural fair"
promptly punned with the utmost calm
ness. | or the damSel had attended in
the country was fair Agrico.lass But
| dreaded what might come next.
"Ah? Glad to see you take an in
terest in such things Well talk of it
tonight when YOU get home. And To
my infinite relief he hurried on; and
hurried back. and was soon welding
matrimonial letters about myself and
one of the fairest women in the world
When the minister, in the ceremony,
distinctly pronounced our names-Clyde
Hylton and Florence Bruce ono after
the other, we could not restrain the inn
pulse TO glance at each others ia G, de-
spite the solemnity of the impressive
service of the Ep scopal ritual. Up to
that time neither of us had known the
others name. Nor had we thought to
al h,v
reached our carriage we could only
look at one another and laugh. Though
it was serious it was still ludricous N
my desperate device to escape my
fathers ward, | had married her; and.
in attempting TO place herself beyond
the possibility of being unwillingly
welded to Clyde Hylton. she had de-
liberately, though unconscious of it.
married him She had heard that / was
a dull. hard grasping man, who would
probably make his wiie's life burden.
We knew each other now, and de-
cided to say nothing of our escapadc.
Weldon promised also.
But you played me a trick in that
wager, Hylton. he added.
Never mind; that's off, ! replied.
Though rash. we certainly had not
been mercenary. For had risked the
disinheritance for her. without knowing
she had penny. and she had hazarded
all for me.
Before reaching my fathers house, [
left the carriage, and entering the
house soon after, was formally intro
duced to Miss Bruce, my ward" To
his obvious satisfaction, we dutifully
told him that we were willing to wed as
he desired ito morrow, if convenient.
and have il done" So it was decided.
Chri tmas, that so dreaded. arrived.
and | was not sorry, you may be sure.